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| Writing for the Mass Media |
-Brian Mendonca
Writing for the Mass Media (2015) by James Stovall is a useful book for students of media. Available online by URBE University the PDF (click the title) can be accessed free worldwide. Published by Pearson Education Inc. in 2009 it has been continually revised to stay relevant with the times.
The command to 'Sit Down and Write' calls for a dedication and a declaration of intent that one is keen to write something and will make the effort to do it. Good writing is efficient, precise, clear, and modest. (pg. 2) To develop technique of good writing one should use simple, familiar words and simple sentences. They should be brief and eliminate jargon and cliches. They should rely on nouns and verbs rather than adjectives and adverbs. They should know how to use transitions while moving from one idea to the next. (6) 'They must read their own copy with cold and glaring eyes, never assuming that a reader will take the time and effort to figure out what the writer has written.' (33) If needed, they should revise what has been written if there is a better way to say it.
Writing for the mass media is defined by many factors. 1) It covers a wide range of formats like news, features, ads, letters, and editorials. 2) It aims to inform, entertain, or persuade. 3) The audience is vast. 4) The writing is usually done under pressure of a deadline, and is often collaborative. (6)
Writers and journalists usually adopt the inverted pyramid style where the news is presented in order of importance and not chronologically. If there is not enough space the editor should be able to slice off the paragraphs at the bottom. (34-5; 75) The reporter should be objective and impersonal. If one is quoting a source it should be quoted exactly and acknowledged.
Writers should strive to be accurate, and verify their sources. It is important to spell names correctly. Their articles should provide clarity, coherence, and context. (58) The journalist has to manage deadlines so that the newspapers can be printed in time. News broadcasts have to go on air at specific times and bulletins need to be ready before that. In case of news websites, each vies with the other to come out first with a breaking news. (58)
AP or The Associated Press Stylebook offers rules for the usage of English in writing for the mass media. Several sidebars /panels give tips on aspects like abbreviations, capitalization, numbers, and punctuation. (41) A consistent style is the sign of professionalism.
Interviews are conducted to obtain news. The reporter should first have an idea what kind of information s/he is looking for and who is the best person to provide it. Preparing for the interview is the next step. What kind of a person is the interviewee and what questions need to be asked. Questions can be of many types: close-ended; open-ended; hypothetical; yes/no; probing; and personal. (65) Useful tips for the interview are provided like 'Prepare at least 20 questions'; Dress appropriately; Save the difficult questions for the last; Avoid asking yes/no questions, ask wh-questions; Don't be afraid to ask them to repeat what they said; Use small talk to break the ice; Get at least 3 good quotes. (66)
One may wonder if newspapers and magazines have a future, but they certainly have a present, quips Stovall. The smaller newspapers and magazines have less overheads and are more likely to survive. They survive on ads and people still pay to read them. (97)
Feature stories are the staple of print media. They are also 'a way of humanizing the news, of breathing life into a publication. Most feature articles center on people and their activities and interests. A good way for a feature writer to approach the job is to believe that every person is worth at least one good feature story.' (101) Ideas for feature stories can stem from anecdotes; profiles of people; interviews; and solving a social issue. (102)
Feature stories differ from news stories as they are textured and have more detail. The description of actions, people, and places is more vivid. Stovall advises incorporating the five senses while writing the story. Often writers only describe what they see. (103) Stories may be developed (ideation) by stating the main idea of the story; aspects of the main idea that need to be developed; who are the people involved?; what is the location?; how you would gather information. (73)
Copyediting and rewriting improve the writing script, sometimes called 'copy.' The first is editing and rewording the manuscript without changing the sense. Rewriting can change the sense. (106) A list of copyediting symbols is given in the appendix. (275)
Moving on to blogs, Stovall opines that blogs are easy to create but difficult to maintain. (128-9) You can write on any topic. If people are interested they will pay to read them,
Mobile journalism is the next big thing. It is the seventh arm of mass media according to Tomi Ahonen. The first six are print, sound recording, radio, television, film, and internet. With the I phone the cell phone was recognized as 'an all-purpose communication and community-building device.' (131)
Web users look forward to certain things on the website: speed of loading; clear layout; smooth navigation; depth through layering; and updating the news.
Reporting for the web involves more responsibilities than the print or broadcast reporter. Web journalists need to be good at using text, pictures, audio, and video. They also need to be able to write quickly as 'web is an immediate medium, ready to disseminate information as quickly as it is prepared.' (132) The web is interactive. When something is posted the writer can join the discussion online.
Web writing is distinguished by features like hyperlinks, lists, pictures, graphics, maps, documents, audio and video clips, e-polls, discussion forums, and tags. (135) The purpose of using inline links is to enrich the experience of the reader. The web writer will use words in the headlines which will be picked up by search engines. This is governed by the fact that people gather information by doing searches on the internet. If the headline contains a word that usually pops up on these engines, it is more likely to be read. This is called Search Engine Optimization (SEO). (138)'The Web is no longer an add-on for the traditional media. Because of its speed, capacity, flexibility, and ubiquity, the Web is becoming the dominant means of distributing news and information.' (140)
Advertising is writing to persuade. Copywriters use words to change the way people think. When designing an ad writers need to know the product and its history, who makes the product, and evoke brand loyalty. Price and competition also need to be considered. (201) Knowing who is the target audience is also vital. The variables are age, gender, income, education, and marital status. (204)
An ad should attract and hold the viewer's interest. It should create a desire for the product and initiate action to acquire it. Ads should be written is simple English. They should not have many details. They should inspire confidence in the product and the manufacturer. (208)
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